Not Safe
by Red Blaze 16
Summary: When an act of revenge takes place within Wayne Manor, Batman must not only solve the crime, but also help a loved one heal. Warning: contains adult themes. Please R&R.
1. Prologue

_**AUTHOR'S DISCLAIMER: Don't own Batman, Robin, Alfred, Commissioner Gordan…I think you get the picture!**_

Not Safe

By Red Blaze 16

Prologue

Just over 20 years ago, a child was orphaned in Wayne Manor. The night, so many years ago, Bruce Wayne lost his parents and the love that they share with him. He entered a world where it was always dark and revenge pushed young Bruce into a man. That man became Batman, protector of Gotham City. And though he protect millions, he was always alone.

One year ago, Bruce Wayne's world turned upside down again, when another child suffered a tragedy so similar to his own. A circus child, who only knew the business of circus living and the love of everyone he worked with, lost all of it in a blink of an eye when a mobster stole his parents from him through death.

Now together, these two orphans have a home and love once more floods Wayne Manor.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 

The night was cool and clear; a great night for Batman to swing through the city streets, protecting the citizens of Gotham. But, instead, Bruce Wayne finds himself slipping on, not a cape and cowl, but a three-piece suit. Examining himself in the floor length mirror, Bruce practices the "Bruce Wayne" smile.

"When can I start to go to these things?" asks a young voice.

Turning to the voice, Bruce feels a real smile spread across his face.

"I'm sure the time will come soon enough, Dick," replies the older man. "And not long after that, you'll be asking me when you can _stop_ going to these events."

Smirking, Dick bounces on the bed in Bruce's room as the older man gets ready to go out for fundraiser.

"Alfred?" calls Bruce, to the oldest man in the room.

"Yes, Master Bruce?" replies the stately man in a British accent.

"What's this fundraiser for again?" asks Bruce, though he doesn't really need to be reminded. _Must think playboy with too much money to spend._

"It's for endangered species."

"Ah," replies Bruce, taking one last look in the mirror.

"Are we going out after you get back?" asks Dick, thinking more about the fun that he'll have once he puts on the red, green, and yellow costume of Robin.

"I'll be going out after I get back, but I think it might be better for you to have a night off," replies Bruce, raising a hand, palm facing the child, to stop the boy before he gets a chance to complain. "We need to make sure you're getting enough sleep. The agreement was you'd have to spend a night here or there with no going out so you'd get a full night's sleep. You've been out on the streets helping me for the last 14 nights."

"But I want to go out," replies the boy. "I'm not tired."

"Dick," states Bruce firmly, slipping into Batman mode with ease.

"Fine," replies the boy with slumping shoulders. "You get to have all the fun."

"Not really," replies Bruce, as he slips back into the "good ol' boy" attitude. "I'd much rather be doing something else than attending this event."

"It's for a good cause," replies Alfred, as he walks in with Bruce's freshly polished shoes. "And we must be leaving, Master Bruce, or else you'll be late."

"Quite right," replies Bruce, as he slips on his shoes. "Dick," as he looks at the boy in question, "Alfred will be back once he drops me off, but you're going to be alone for nearly an hour. I want you in bed, before Alfred gets back."

"Yes, sir," replies Dick, as he jumps off the older man's bed with a salute. Scampering out of the room, the boy runs for his own.

Shaking his head at the child's antics, Bruce takes one last look in the mirror before leaving his room with Alfred walking calmly beside him.


	3. Chapter 2

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Graphic suggested sexual violence…you are warned!**_

Chapter 2

Crouching in the trees that border Wayne's property, a shadowed man watches the limo as it gets ready to pull away from the mansion. A figure, all in black, use binoculars to watch as the rich man enters his limo.

"He thinks he's so powerful," sneers the figure in a deep voice.

Shifting on the branch, the figure watches as the limo, with Bruce Wayne in it, pulls away from the manor and speeds off down the driveway toward the road. The figure continues to watch the limo, until it is out of sight, before returning his gaze to the quiet, mostly darkened manor.

Focusing his gaze now on the only light window in the mansion, the figure jumps down out of the trees and starts to slip across the grass until the moon light reveals the figure of a man, dressed all in black, getting closer to the mansion.

_Now all I need to do is override the system and I will be in the house, before Wayne's kid knows it._

………………………..

Changing into his pajama bottoms, Dick lays the shirt down on the bedding, toward the foot of the bed. Padding around his room, Dick checks his homework to make sure it's done before he gets into bed.

"Stupid agreement," mumbles the child, as he checks off his assignment book to verify that all his class assignments are done for tomorrow. "Can't wait till I'm an adult and I don't have anyone telling me what to do."

Throwing his assignment book back into his backpack, Dick stomps over to his bedroom door and turns off the light. Turning back toward his bed, Dick stomps across the room and throws back the covers. Just before he slips into his bed, Dick stops and turns his head to listen.

_I thought I just heard something._

About to turn around and look, Dick is slammed from behind and knocked down onto the bed. His stomach hits the edge of the bed; combined with the force of the attack, the air is pushed out of Dick's lungs.

Reaching backwards to grabs his foe and throw the attacker off of him, Dick's hands are grabbed and his attacker uses a pressure point in the boy's hand to get the child to stop fighting.

"Wayne thinks he's so safe," growls the assailant in Dick's ear. "He thinks he has this big house and no one can touch him."

Cranking the child's hand back, the attacker uses one hand to hold the boy down against the bed's edge. Trying to kick the assailant, Dick fights back against the stronger man, but his legs keep kicking nothing except air.

"I'll show him," continues to attacker.

Grabbing the elastic waistband of the boy's pajama bottoms, the assailant jerks the pants to the boy's knees. Legs tangled in the clothing now, Dick continues to struggle against the man until he feels warm flesh touching his own skin. Freezing for a moment, Dick find himself paralyzed in fear.

"NO!" screams the child, just as the pain begins.


	4. Chapter 3

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: As a style note, my chapters are typically short, but I try to pack a lot into them. Enjoy!**_

Chapter 3

Driving back from the fundraiser event that he had just dropped off Bruce Wayne at, Alfred parks the limo and goes into Wayne Manor. Knowing he still has some cleaning up to do, Alfred decides that he better check on the child first.

_I would be quite surprised if Master Dick has fallen asleep yet. Perhaps, I could suggest that if the boy rests quietly in bed, when I am done cleaning up, I can bring him a hot chocolate. A nice hot drink on such a cool night would surely be a special treat._

Smiling, the older man reaches Dick's room. Knocking softly on the boy's door, Alfred calls out of the child within.

"Master Dick? Are you still awake?" whispers the butler, as he gently pushes open the door.

The first thing the older man notices is the cool breeze coming in from the open window. Walking across the room, the butler closes the window quietly before turning to the young child sleeping on the bed.

"What?" says Alfred, staring at the child, who is in the bed, but not sleeping. "Master Dick?"

Striding across the room, Alfred turns on the bedside lamp to reveal not a peacefully sleeping child, but a bloodied, unconscious child. Checking the boy's pulse at the throat, the butler can feel the thready pulse beating at his fingers.

"Master Dick?" calls the man a little firmly, as a gently shakes the boy at the shoulder.

A moan is the only response the child gives. Glancing once more at Dick, Alfred rushes out of the room to the nearest phone. Lifting the receiver, the butler quickly pushes three numbers and waits for the other line to be picked up.

"911. What is your emergency?"

"Mr. Wayne's ward has been attacked. Please…" says the older man, glancing toward the doorway of the abused child, "send help fast."


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 

Throwing his head back and laughing at what the woman said next to him, Bruce Wayne finds himself completely in the swing of things, pretending that money, beautiful woman, and good sex are the only things he cared about. Feeling a hand press lighting on his right arm, just above his elbow, he opens his laughing eyes to stares into some beautiful deep green eyes of the red head on his arm.

"Oh Brucie," purrs the sultry red head, as she brushes her breasts against Bruce's arm. "You're so easy to talk to."

"If you want, you could come back to my manor and _talk_ some more," suggest Bruce, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh," says the woman, pretending to be offended. "What kind of woman do you think I am?"

"With that red hair, my guess is passionate and fiery," replies Bruce, taking her hand and drawing the woman back toward him.

"Well," replies the woman, with a head toss and a smirk of her own, "maybe you do know a woman. But I thought you had a ward?"

"He'll be asleep," returns the rich man, "And it is a big place."

"The manor," purrs the woman, rubbing up against Bruce again, "Or something else?"

Leaning into the woman's face, Bruce blows gently into her ear.

"Both," he whispers.

Feeling a vibration in his coat pocket, Bruce slips a hand into his pocket to fish out his personal cell phone.

"Hold that thought," says Bruce.

Raising the phone to his ear and stepping away from the beautiful red head, Bruce presses the green button just before the receiver gets to his mouth.

"Wayne."

"Master Bruce?"

"Alfred, what's wrong?" asks Bruce, slipping out of the playboy routine and into something darker.

"Master Dick," replies the older man, a shake in his voice. "He's been hurt."

"Did that boy go out, after I told him no?" demands Bruce, as he steps further away from the sexy red head.

"No, Master Bruce," replies the butler. "Someone attacked him at the Manor. The police and ambulance are already on their way."

"Attacked how?" asks the rich man.

"Sir…" starts Alfred, but words fail him. "When I went in to check on him, he was bloodied and…"

"And what?"

"Master Bruce, I fear he was," taking a deep breath, Alfred forces himself to continue, "…raped."

Bruce Wayne stares off into the room, but for the first time since entering the building, he wasn't really seeing what was going on around him.

"Master Bruce?"

"Stay with Dick. I'll take a taxi out of the Manor."

"Alright, sir," replies the British man with a sigh.

Forgetting about the party and the beautiful woman waiting for him, Bruce strides out of the party. Hearing his name called, he ignores everything in his sole purpose: to get home and see Dick.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 

Commissioner Gordan stands near the opening of the room. High vaulted ceilings, elegant rugs, and tasteful furniture adorn the door, but Gordan cares more about the crime that has been committed against a helpless child. The ambulance has long since been taken away the child to the ambulance and Gordan allowed the man-servant to go with the child, since the boy's guardian had yet to arrive.

"Commissioner?"

Turning his head, the older man sees a police officer in uniform rushing over to see him.

"What did you find?"

"Commissioner, we think we found where the perp came into the house," states the young officer.

"What I want to know is how the attacker got past Wayne's security system," demands Gordan of the young man. "Have you found out that?"

"There was a panel for the system near the window where the guy came in. It looks like he just….I don't know, maybe turned off the system?" says the officer with a shrug, as he makes a statement sound more like a question.

"Turn off my system?" demands a deep voice.

Turning, Gordan watches Bruce Wayne enter the room and survey everyone in the room. Having lived in Gotham all his adult life, Gordan was familiar with the Wayne family and had met the rich man standing before him numerous times in the past, including when the man before him was not much younger than the child that he had just seen being driven to the hospital. But seeing him now, Gordan had a feeling that, no matter what society and the papers said about the young millionaire, Wayne was not a man to be fucked with.

"Mr. Wayne," says Gordan with a nod. "We've already sent your ward by ambulance to the hospital. Your butler went with the child."

Nodding his head, Wayne glances at the younger officer, who draws away from the rich man.

"You said someone shut off my system?" demands Wayne. "How?"

"We're not sure, sir," replies the younger man, glancing toward the Commissioner.

"Mr. Wayne," starts Gordan, trying to gain the attention of the younger man, "Bruce, we'll find the son of a bitch who did this. But I think it might be best for you if you went to check on your ward."

"Jim," replies Bruce, turning his gaze away from the junior officer, who took that moment to leave, "why did this happen?"

"I don't know, Bruce," replies the older man, with a shaking head, "but I'll get him. Whoever he is and whyever he did this, we'll get him."

Nodding his head, Bruce took one more look around the room and the working police, before leaving the room to head to the hospital where his hurting ward was.


	7. Chapter 6

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Happy Thanksgiving! Here's a very little something till I can spend some more time on this story!**_

Chapter 6

Standing outside of the hospital where his victim was brought, the dark clothed man waits for his intended victim to arrive.

_Wayne will come running for his brat. He'll be scared and angry, wanted to know who did this and why. Not yet, rich man. This is only the beginning!_

Staying in the shadows, the man smirks as a see a nice looking sports car speed up to the entrance of the hospital, before coming to a screeching halt. Quietly the man watches Wayne burst out of the car and rush toward the doors of the hospital that smoothly swish open as the rich man nears them.

_Oh no, Wayne! For what you did, the payment will be long, slow, and so very, very painful. _


	8. Chapter 7

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Not a doctor nor do I spend much time in hospitals. Hope this scene is realistic!**_

Chapter 7 

Rushing into the hospital, Bruce stops the first nurse he sees.

"My name is Bruce Wayne. My ward was just brought. Where is he?"

"I believe he's still in the ER. The doctors needed to do some tests before releasing the child," replies the nurse kindly, as she points in the direction that the ER is located.

Nodding his head, Bruce rushes off past the nurse in the direction that she pointed. Rounding one corner, then another, Wayne quickly finds himself in the waiting room for the Emergency Room. Looking around, he doesn't see Alfred. Striding over to the check in desk, Bruce stops in front of it.

"My ward was just brought in. Where is he?" demands the rich man, in a powerful voice.

"Of course, Mr. Wayne. Richard is resting comfortably now. Your employee, Mr. Pennyworth, is with him. Just go through the door and turn right. Third bed on your left," explains the nurse.

Rushing into the emergency room area, Bruce turns to the right and he strides down the aisle, looking for his ward. Just as he nears the third bed, Bruce hears the sound of a British voice.

"When will we get the results back from the tests?"

"Some of the results we should get back in a matter of hours. Other results will take more time," replies a quiet, calm, female voice.

Wayne enters the area of the bed and looks at the body that goes with that voice. A tall woman, though she would only come up to his shoulders, with a willowy body and curly black hair was speaking with his faithful butler, Alfred.

"Master Bruce," says Alfred, as he notices his employer standing behind the woman. Gesturing to the dark haired woman, Alfred continues, "this is Dr. Roberts."

"Dr. Roberts," says Bruce, with a nod, "how is my boy?"

Glancing toward the patient in question, Bruce can see that the boy is awake, but from the glazed look in his eyes, can also tell that the comfort the desk nurse mentioned came at the expense of drugs.

"I'll be honest, Mr. Wayne," says the doctor, as she motions both men away from the bed and far enough away from the patient to produce some semblance of privacy, "While Richard was hurt badly, he will recover from what happened today."

Waiting for the doctor to continue, Bruce watches as the woman takes her glasses off the bridge of her nose, to rub her eyes, and then places the glasses back on her nose.

"I can be as blunt as you would like me to be," continues Dr. Roberts. "I can simple tell you the basics or be more detailed, if you prefer."

"Tell me everything," replies Bruce, looking over the woman's shoulder toward the now sleeping child on the hospital bed. _Someone is going to pay for hurting my boy!_

"There is no easy way around this, Mr. Wayne," says the doctor, gaining Bruce's attention. "Your ward was sodomized and then beaten afterwards. We suspect that the attacker used his fists to beat the child with."

"Did the attacker mean to kill Dick?" asks Bruce, glancing once more at the abused child on the bed.

"I can't answer that," replies the doctor with a shake of her head. "To be honest, the beating Richard received wouldn't have been lethal, even if no one checked on him until morning."

"Have you run tests?" asks Bruce, not taking his eyes from Dick.

"Yes, but, as I mentioned to Mr. Pennyworth, the results won't be ready for hours, while others might take days to be complete," explains the doctor.

Nodding his head, Bruce steps around the doctor and walks over to the bedside. Laying a hand down over Dick's hand, Bruce stares down at the boy.

"We did a rape kit," says the doctor gently, as if trying to smooth away the violence that the child suffered. "If the man who did this has a criminal record, the police will be able to identify him from the sample we took."

Nodding his head, Bruce doesn't look at the doctor. Laying a hand of her own on the boy, the doctor glances between the man and child.

"We gave him a little pain medication in the I.V. If you want him to stay, we'll get a room ready for him. But I will be honest," says the doctor, focusing her eyes on the man standing beside her, "what the child needs when he wakes up is people he knows and a setting he is familiar with and feels safe in. The bruises will heal, but there are some wounds that even I can't put a band-aide on."

Patting the boy's leg, the doctor turns and walks away.


	9. Chapter 8

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry it took me so long! Hopefully, it was well worth the wait. I'll try to post more chapters soon.**_

Chapter 8

_No! Stop! Please!_

Crying out in his sleep, Dick bolts awake in his bed to find the sun shining through his window. Looking around the room, Dick, for a moment, wonders if it was just a dream. Hearing a noise, Dick jerks around in his bed to look at the door and watches as Bruce slowly steps into the room.

For a moment, the child stares at the man, before he opens his mouth.

"It really happened, didn't it?"

Knowing that Dick wants to hear a denial, but also knowing that it won't help in the child's recovery, Bruce nods his head.

"I'm sorry, Dick."

Slowly and quietly, tears flow down the child's cheeks as he deals with what happened to him last night.

"Why?" asks the boy.

"The police are looking into it," replies Bruce, as he steps over to the boy's bed and sits down on the edge of it.

"Is Batman going to look into it?" ask Dick, as he tries to make himself stop crying.

"I won't stop until I find out who did this," replies Bruce, placing a hand on Dick's arm.

"Knowing won't change anything," replies the boy, shaking his head. "I was getting ready for bed, like you wanted. I heard a noise. Before I got a chance to check it out, someone pushed me down on the bed."

"Did you see his face?" asks Bruce, wanting to protect Dick, but also knowing he needed to know everything that Dick remembered.

Shaking his head, Dick raises a hand to wipe at the tears on his face.

"The whole time, he was talking about you," continues Dick, glancing up at his mentor and guardian. "How you were so safe and he was going to teach you a lesson."

Nodding his head, Bruce stands up from the bed. Glancing around the room, Bruce feels lost for the first time in 20 years. Not knowing what to say, Bruce is saved from having to speak again when Alfred enters the room carrying a tray of food.

"Master Dick," says Alfred, kindly, as he sets down the tray of food on the bed. "I thought you might want something to eat. It's nearly noon."

Shaking his head, Dick pushes away the food. "I'm not hungry."

"Dick, you need to eat," says Bruce, staring down at the boy on the bed. "You need to build up your strength."

"What good will that do?" asks the child, raising his eyes to the man who took him into his home. "Strength didn't do me any fucking good last night!"

Taking aback by the language, Alfred picks up the tray.

"I understand that this will be difficult…" starts Bruce, only to be interrupted by the child again.

"Do you? Do you really, Bruce?"

"Dick…" says Bruce, as he sits back down on the bed, trying to gentle his voice for the hurting child. "I want to help you."

"I don't know what kind of help I need, Bruce," says Dick, as he begins to cry again.

"Master Dick," says Alfred, balancing the tray with one hand and placing the other on the boy's shoulder. "We're here for you. We'll help you get through this."

Nodding his head, Dick turns away from both men.

"The first step is to get back to normal," says Bruce, speaking to the boy's back. "It's already noon, so there's no sense in going to school today. Do you want to take tomorrow off from school also?"

"No," mumbles the boy. "I just want to forget about this. Maybe going back to school will help."

Nodding his head, Alfred turns to Bruce. "I'll let the school know."

Stepping over to Dick's school desk, Alfred sets down the tray of food. "In case you get hungry, Master Dick, I'll leave the tray here and come back later to get it."

Nodding his head, Dick watches at the butler puts down the tray and leaves the room. Left alone with his mentor, Dick tries to calm his breathing and force the tears away.

"If you want to work off some of this…" says Bruce, waving a hand around the room, "I'll be down in the Batcave."

"I think," says Dick, as he turns back toward his mentor, "that sounds like a good idea."


	10. Chapter 9

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Just though I would let my reader know, I don't write "fight" scenes too well, even if this is only a training scene.**_

Chapter 9

Down in the Batcave, beneath Wayne Manor, a man and child face off against each other on a sparring mat.

"How hard do you want this to be?" asks Bruce, staring at the boy standing across from him.

"You've never asked me that before," replies Dick, raising a brow.

"After what happened last night, I don't want to push you farther than you can go, which may not be as far as I normally would push you," answers the older man.

"No special treatment, Bruce," says Dick, shaking his head. "Special treatment won't help me get over what…happened."

Nodding his head, Bruce raises his hands into a ready stance. Matching him, Dick takes a few deep breaths to center himself.

Deciding to make the first move, Dick slides across the mat toward the older man with a heart jab. Blocking the boy easily, Bruce spins the boy away from him and kicks out toward the right knee of Dick. Feeling his knee give out as the blow lands, the boy rolls away from the older man. Spinning back around, Dick again finds himself facing Bruce.

"You're being too easy, Bruce."

Nodding his head, Bruce decided to take it up a notch. Rushing toward the boy, Bruce fakes to the right. Dodging to the left, to avoid the attack, Dick realizes too late that Bruce was only faking a right-sided attack. Raising his arms to block the boy, Dick finds himself knock onto his butt from the force.

Doing a kick up, Dick gets himself back onto his feet. Breathing deeply, Dick watches the older man. Deciding to do a feint of his own, Dick prepares to attack Bruce again. Making it look like he plans to do another heart strike, Dick focuses on turning the blow into a diaphragm strike, so as to knock the air out of Bruce's lungs.

Realizing what the boy intends, Bruce allows Dick to come in close and just before the boy lands the blow to his stomach, Bruce grabs the boy's hand and spins him around. Finding the pressure point on the hand, the older man cranks the arm backwards.

"NO!" shouts the boy, as he feels his arm being pressed into his back.

Struggling against the older man, Dick forgets all about his training as he tries to get out of the lock. Tears stream down the boy's face, as Dick kicks backward to get the older man off of him.

Realizing that something is wrong, Bruce releases Dick and steps away from him. Falling down onto the mat, Dick cries and pounds his fists into the mat. Kneeling down next to the child, Bruce places a gentle hand on the boy's back. Saying nothing, Bruce waits as the boy begins to calm down.

"I'm sorry," whispers Dick to his mentor, scrubbing his face with his hands. "It's just…he grabbed me like that…when he pushed me down on the bed."

Nodding his head, Bruce understands why Dick reacted the way he did.

"It will take time, Dick," says the older man, placing an open palm in Dick's face.

Taking the hand, Dick pulls himself to his feet. Staring down at the mat, and the wetness his tears has made, Dick feels ashamed of himself.

"I should have fought harder," says Dick, raises his eyes to Bruce. "Maybe then, I could have stopped him."

"It's not your fault, Dick," states Bruce, firmly. "I want you to get that out of your head right now."

Nodding his head, but not really believing, Dick glances away from the older man before turning his eyes back to Bruce.

"If you don't mind, Bruce, I'd rather not continue," says Dick quietly, before turning and walking off the mat.

"As I said, Dick, it will take time," says Bruce softly as he watches the boy grabs a towel and heads for the stairs to take him back upstairs to the manor.

As soon as the boy disappears, Bruce turns his attention toward the Batcomputer.

"It's time to find out who did this," states Bruce, as his voice becomes deep and hard. "Whoever he is, he'll pay. Batman will make certain of that."


	11. Chapter 10

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry it took so long for the next chapter. Hopefully, the wait is worth it. I'll try to update again soon!**_

Chapter 10

Gordan tries to blow his frustration out with a sigh as he stares the report that Dr. Roberts sent him. While they were able to collect a well preserved sample from the boy, no one matched the DNA that was extracted out of the sample.

Taking his glasses off with his left hand, Gordan rubs his eyes as he gets himself ready to make a call to Bruce Wayne. Feeling a breeze blow across his face, Gordan places his glasses back on and look up at Batman.

"No Supercriminals tonight, Batman," says the tired police commissioner. "Joker, Two-Face, Riddler, and all the others are locked up tight in Arkham tonight."

"I'm not here for that, Gordan," growls the Caped Crusader. "I heard about Wayne's kid."

"The Grayson boy?" replies Gordan, flicking a hand toward the report on his desk. "No leads. I just got the DNA report and, while the hospital was able to get a perfect sample, it doesn't match any known criminals."

"What did Wayne have to say about what happened?" asks Batman, though he already knew what he told the police earlier that day when he reported what Dick told him.

"Wayne said his ward spoke with him a little about what happened, but that the boy didn't see the face and Wayne thinks this attack was meant to hurt himself."

"How so?" demands Batman.

"The boy told Wayne that, during the attack, the assailant kept saying how Wayne thought he was so safe and, after this, Wayne will think differently," answers Gordan.

"Have you spoke to Wayne about any know enemies the man might have?" asks Batman.

"He couldn't think of any, but you don't get to stay in power for as long as the Waynes have and not made a few enemies simply on the basis that they have money," replies Gordan, shaking his head. "I dread telling the man that we don't even know who attacked the boy."

Not hearing a response, Gordan looks up from the desk, only to find himself alone.


	12. Chapter 11

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry it's been so long. Here's an update!**_

Chapter 11

Getting ready to sleep that night, Dick checks and rechecks his windows before even thinking about the bed. Turning on the bedside lamp, Dick walks over and shuts of the overhead light. Walking toward the bed, Dick stops himself before he sits down on it.

"Master Dick?"

Turning, Dick looks at the Alfred, before glancing back at the bed.

"I don't think I can do, Alfie," says Dick, shaking his head. "I don't feel safe in this room."

"I can make up another room, Master Dick," replies Alfred kindly. "One closer to Master Bruce's room."

"Being close to an empty room won't do me much good, Alfred," replies Dick, glancing over his shoulder at the bed.

Alfred says nothing for a moment, knowing that Bruce's room for most likely stay empty until the wee hours of the morning.

"Do…" starts Dick, but stop and looks toward the older man. "Do you think Bruce will mind if I sleep in his room tonight?"

"I doubt Master Bruce will mind at all," replies Alfred, with a gentle smile. "Come, Master Dick, let's get you settled."

Turning his back on the bed and the horrors that took place there, Dick leaves the room and heads down the hall to a much larger and safer room.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

After a night of searching the streets and working at the Batcomputer, Bruce finds that he is no closer to figuring out who attacked Dick than the police are. Frustrated and tired, he heads for his bedroom to catch a few short hours of sleep. Entering his room, he turns on the overhead light and the first thing he notices is a lump in his bed. Walking softly over to his bed, Bruce stares down into the face of a sleeping child.

"Dick?"

"Ummm?" moans a sleepy voice, as Dick raises a hand to rub his eyes and look up at Bruce.

"Couldn't sleep?" asks the older man.

"I couldn't sleep in my room. Alfred didn't think you would mind," replies the boy, as he sits up in bed.

"It doesn't bother me," replies the older man, as he lifts his eyes to look around the room. "I'll find another room to sleep in."

"Wait!"

"Yes, Dick," says Bruce, as he looks back down at the child.

"I don't want to kick you out of your own room," says Dick, as he flops the covers back. "I'll…go back to my room."

"You don't have to, son," replies Bruce, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Go ahead and stay in my room. I just needed to grab some things before I head back down to the 'cave."

"Are you sure?" asks Dick, as he drags the covers over his body again.

"Stay, Dick," says Bruce, as he turns away from the bed.

Walking back to the door, Bruce raises a hand to turn off the light.

"Good night, Bruce," calls a voice from the bed.

"Good night, Dick," replies the man, as he turns off the lights and leaves the room.

Shutting the door quietly behind himself, Bruce leans against the doorframe. Hearing a noise off to his left, Bruce turns his head to see Alfred walking down the hall.

"I didn't think you would mind, sir," says the butler.

"If this will help Dick heal, then I will give my bed over to him," replies the rich man.

Turning to walk away, Bruce hears Alfred clear his throat.

"Yes, Alfred?" says Bruce, turning back to the older man.

"Did you find out anything?"

"No matches on the DNA," replies Bruce, shaking his head. "Batman won't rest till the man who did this is punished."

"The sooner the man is put behind bars, the better I will feel," replies the butler.

…………………..

Listening in the dark, Dick can hear the conversation taking place just outside his door.

_They haven't caught him_, thinks the boy. _They don't even know who he is._

Taking a deep breath, Dick tries to fall back asleep, but the safety he had found earlier that night disappears with the knowledge that his attacker is still out there….and waiting.


	14. Chapter 13

**_AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry it's been so long. I've been busy with work...doing my job and finding new staff to hire. URG! Anywho, enjoy!_**

Chapter 13

It feels like only moment later when Dick opens his eyes. Glancing at the clock by his bedside, he sees that hours have gone by and it's time for him to get ready for school. Pushing back the covers of the bed, Dick jumps out of the bed and heads out of the room. Turning down the hall, Dick slowly walks down the hall toward his room.

Reaching the door, the boy pushes open his door and steps into the room. Seeing the sunshine stream through the window, Dick feels safer in his room in the light of day. Grabbing some clothing, Dick heads for the bathroom to shower before he goes to school.

Dropping off his clean clothing on the toilet seat, Dick grabs his toothbrush and paste and cleans his teeth. Feeling better, Dick avoids looking at himself in the mirror as he undresses from his pajamas and steps into the shower. Turning on the water full blast, the boy watches as in mere seconds, his skins begins to turn red.

_If only I could just wash it all away_, he thinks as he adjusts the temperature on the water.

Grabbing some soap and a washcloth, Dick lathers up the soap and begins to clean his body. Just as he reaches his waist line, Dick stares down his body and watches as all the bruises play peek-a-boo with the soap. Not able to go any further, Dick drops the washcloth and leans against the shower stall. Feeling the tears slip down his face, Dick slides to the floor and lets his tears be washed away by the shower.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Feeling as though days have gone by since he entered school that morning, Dick finds himself relieved when the final period arrives. Half way into his math class, Dick feels that he has to go to the bathroom. Knowing that there is still 45 minutes left of class, Dick raises a hand and asks to go to the bathroom.

"Go ahead, Dick," replies Mr. Owens, the math teacher, motioning the boy toward the door.

Getting out of his seat, Dick heads out of the class and turns right. Walking down the hall, Dick keeps his head down.

_I feel like everyone knows. Maybe if I don't look at anyone, no one will say anything._

So into his own thoughts, Dick fails to see a shadow of a man standing near the boy's bathroom. Pushing open the door, Dick steps into the bathroom. Just as the door is about to close, it's pushed open again.

Hearing footsteps behind him, Dick turns and looks at a man, dressed all in black, with a ski mask on over his face.

"What?" says the boy, sliding away from the man.

"Surely, you haven't forgotten me already, boy," whispers the man.

Shaking his head, Dick steps further into the restroom. Glancing from side to side, Dick tries to find a weapon to use against his attacker. Backing the boy up, the man continues to step forward, as Dick retreats toward the back wall.

"No," says Dick, as he continues to shake his head.

"I don't think that stopped me before," sneers the man, as he reaches out toward Dick.

Trying to dodge to the left, Dick smacks his hip against the sink. Realizing that he had been backed into a tight corner, Dick tries to think of a way to get out of the situation. Taking advantage of Dick's problem, the man grabs the boy by his upper arm.

Rearing his foot backwards, Dick swings it and kicks the man in the shin. Cursing, but not losing his grip, the man propels Dick toward a bathroom stall. Slamming into the door, Dick falls into the stall and smacks his head off the toilet inside the stall. Blacking out, Dick's body relaxes.

Taking a quick glance around the ceiling, the assailant finds the camera within the boy's bathroom. Smiling behind his mask, the man grabs Dick's leg and drags him out of the bathroom stall and near the sinks before he lets the boy's leg go.

"You may not remember what I am going to do this time, but that camera will know," sneers the man down at the boy, before he reaches for the boy again.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"How the fuck did he get into the school?" bellows Gordan, speaking to the school principal. "Don't you people have security?"

"Please, Commissioner," replies Ms. Towne, the school principal, shaking her hands "you're in a school. Watch your language."

"Watch my language?" demands Gordan, giving the woman an eye. "You allowed Grayson to be molested by the same man who raped him less than 48 hours earlier. I think that's a lot more important than _my language_."

"I don't know how he got into the school," says the principal, shaking her hands and head.

"I think you need to give a better explanation that that."

Turning, the woman stares into the cold eyes of Bruce Wayne.

"You were made aware of what happened before I sent Dick back here," continues Bruce coolly. "And after knowing, _that man_ was able to get into the school and corner Dick in the bathroom."

"The police said that the boy had been knocked out. He doesn't even know what happened."

Turning, Bruce stares at the Assistant Principal, Mr. Martin.

"And that makes it better?" demands Bruce, raising a brow. "Dick hasn't even recovered from the first attack. What do you think is going through his mind now, _when he doesn't even know what the man did to him_?"

"Mr. Wayne," says the principal, glancing between her assistant and the richest man in the city, "there is nothing we can do that will undo what happened here today. I can tell you that we have cameras in all the bathrooms and so we'll have the man on tape. I'll turn over the tape to the police, so they might be able to exam it and find out whatever they can."

"Thank you," says Commissioner Gordan, also looking between the Assistant and Bruce.

Frustrated and angry, Bruce storms out of the principal's office.

"Dad, how's Dick?" calls a young female voice.

Turning, Bruce watches as the commissioner meets up with his daughter, Barbara.

"You know him?" says Gordan, gentling his voice toward his girl.

"I've seen him around the halls. One of my friend's, Jessie, little sister is in the same classes as Dick," answers the red headed young woman. "Is he ok?"

Sighing, Gordan looks down at his daughter and then over at Bruce before glancing back down at Barbara.

"I don't know, honey," replies Gordan, as he reaches for Barbara and gives her a hug. "I don't know."


	17. Chapter 16

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry it's taking me so long on this story. I've got a lot going on at home and work. Here's some more! Hope it's worth the wait!**_

Chapter 16

Turning off the television, Gordan sighs with anger, disgust, and frustration.

"Was that the video for the second attack?" growls a voice from behind Gordan.

Jumping, Gordan looks over his shoulder at Batman.

"Yeah and it makes me sick," says Gordan, as he walks over to his desk and sits in his chair.

"The perp corners the boy in the bathroom and when the kid tries to fight back, the guy knocks him out. Then he looks around and, for a moment, he looks right at the camera. I think he wanted us to know that he knows the camera was there," explains Gordan, glancing up at Batman.

Nodding his head, Batman stares down at the commissioner. "This has nothing to do with the boy. It has to do with Wayne. He wants Wayne to know what he did. The child is merely a tool," says the Caped Crusader.

"He undressed Grayson from the waist down. Touched him intimately and then he…" starts Gordan, but has to pause before continuing, "…he puts his mouth on the boy's..."

"I get the picture," says Batman, waving his hand to stop the man from continuing.

"It looks like he was going to continue, but he stops and looks toward the door. There's no sound with the video, so my guess is, he heard something and it spooked him," finished Gordan, grateful that he didn't have to finish explaining what was done to the boy. "The video did gives us two important things, since the perp wasn't wearing any gloves. We got prints from the toilet stall and we know he's Caucasian."

"I thought you couldn't find anything on the DNA that you collected from the first attack," replies Batman.

"Nothing, but at least we'll have more evidence when we catch this guy," says Gordan, before shaking his head. "This whole case makes me sick, Batman, and not just because I have a little girl not much older than Grayson. No child should be going through what is happening to this boy. Sometimes I wonder if I am getting too old for this job. Cases like this make me wonder."

"I know what you mean, Jim," replies Batman.

Raising his head to look at the protector of Gotham, all Gordan sees is Batman's cape as the Dark Knight leaps out of the window.


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Swinging through the street, Batman can't help but force his mind on the job at hand. Angry and frustrated at what is being done and not done for Dick is not putting Batman in a better mood.

_We've had the video from the bathroom for over 24 hours and still nothing. Nothing came up on the prints and the fucker is smart enough to know to cover his face_, thinks Batman, as he decides to end the night and head for home.

Finding the Batmobile where he had left it, Batman slips inside and starts the powerful engine. Zooming down the streets, he heads for out of the city, onto a small, very little used country back road; a road that, if one knows the way, will lead to a very special cave.

In no time at all, Batman finds himself in the cave. Jumping out of his vehicle, Batman strides over to the 'computer, only to find someone already there and the video from the school playing.

"Dick?!"

Batman grabs the chair and spins it and the boy away from the screen.

"What do you think you are doing, young man?"

"I'm trying to look for clues," comes the quiet reply.

"You don't need to see it," says Batman, kneeling next to the boy.

"But I do need to, Bruce," says Dick, as he glances over his shoulder to watch more of the video.

Taking a deep breath, Batman stands up and reaches over to the keyboard. Pressing a button, Batman shuts off the video.

"Dick, listen to me," says Batman, as he leans over the boy in the chair. "You don't need to prove anything to me. Not about this."

"Remember, a couple of years ago, I was just some kid you didn't even know," says Dick, but when Batman tries to interrupt, the boy waves him off. "Please let me finish."

Taking a deep breath, he continues, "you didn't even know me, but you took me in. Why? Maybe you felt pity, or sympathy, or because you saw a reflection of yourself, since we both lost our parents to crime. After I was here, you let me be involved in taking down Zucco. Why?"

"I thought it would help you," replies Batman. "To be involved with solving the crime would give you a closure that I didn't get."

"But the guy was caught," states Dick, glancing up at his mentor. "The guy who killed your parents."

"Yes, but I wasn't involved in it," replies Batman, shaking his head. "Maybe if I had been involved…"

"You would have felt the closure," finishes the boy, staring up at his mentor. "I need closure, Bruce. If that means, I have to help you catch the guy and see what…what he did to me, than that's what I need to do."

For a moment, Batman says nothing. He then reaches over to the keyboard and turns the screen on again, but doesn't start the video.

"I'll let you in on this, but if I find you can't handle it, I'll pull you."

"I accept," replies the boy, as he reaches for the keyboard to start the video again.

"And one other thing," says Batman, placing a hand over the boy's outstretched hand, "you aren't to do this alone. No videos by yourself, no going out on the streets by yourself. Nothing, until this is finished."

"Fine," replies Dick, as he finds the button to turn the video back on.


	19. Chapter 18

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hard to believe that I have been working on this story for a year now! Here's the next chapter…**

Chapter 18

"Bruce?"

Turning away from his desk, Bruce Wayne looks at his ward.

"Yes, Dick?" Placing the paperwork on his desk, Bruce gives his ward his full attention. "What is it?"

"You said that a DNA test has been run on all known criminals?" asks the boy, pacing the office in the manor.

"Yes," as the voice of the man deepens.

"And finger prints were checked also?" asks the boy, stopping in front of the desk, before sitting down in one of the two chairs in front of the desk.

"Yes," comes the reply again. "What are you getting at?"

"I was looking through the files…"

"I believe I told you that you weren't to do it alone," says Bruce, slipping even further into the Batman persona.

"Alfred was down there," says Dick, waving it off. "What I noticed is, only criminal files were checked, right?"

"The police assumed that the crime had to have been committed by someone familiar with that side of life. Being able to break in and enter this mansion could not have been easy," replies Bruce.

"It's not like you assume anything, Bruce," says Dick, cocking his head to the side and glancing at his mentor. "Criminals aren't the only ones who are fingerprinted."

"Of course, Dick. Teacher, childcare providers, police, security would also need to have their fingerprints done before entering the workplace. What is your point?" asks Bruce, trying to figure out where the boy was taking the conversation.

"You said it had to be someone familiar with crime. I was just thinking that, maybe, the knowledge comes from the other side of the law. Maybe the person was a police officer who turned sour…" starts Dick, but stops when he notices Bruce shaking his head.

"But what would a police officer have to do with me? I think we both know that the individual behind this is doing it for my benefit…"

"Someone you pissed off?" suggests Dick. "A police officer who lost his job because of something he did or didn't do involving you? Or maybe it's not you personally, but Wayne Corp?"

"Would you like me to run a background check on every person who has ever had to be fingerprinted? Criminal or not?" asks the older man.

"No…" says the boy, shaking his head and then smiling a little. "I started the check before I came up here. It was an idea and I thought I would mention it to you while the 'computer was checking it out for me."

Getting up from his chair, Dick walks across the floor and heads out of the office door.

"Want to see if anything came up?" comes the call from the hallway.

Without waiting for further comment, Bruce leaves his office behind to follow the boy into the Batcave.


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Walking down the steps in front of his mentor, Dick can feel himself begin to sweat. He hoped he sounded nonchalant about what he had said in the office upstairs. He also hoped that the search he had started five minutes earlier would not have been a waste of time.

Stepping off of the stairs, Dick attempts a smile toward Alfred, who is dusting the chemical area of the Batcave.

"Any beeps?" asks the boy, having set the 'computer to beep if any names popped up.

"Nothing yet, Master Dick."

Shaking his head, Dick can feel the pressure of having his mentor be in the 'cave. _Maybe this wasn't such a bright idea to let Bruce know what I was thinking. It'll suck big time to have him watch as nothing happened._

Sitting down in front of the 'computer, Dick glances at the screen to see what the program has only run through seventy percent of the names listed in the database. As he stared, the boy watched as more and more names passed the fingerprint test he was running. As the percentage completed started to climb into the ninetieth percentile, Dick began to lose faith in his idea.

"Dick, it was a good idea…" starts Bruce, but stops as he hears the 'computer beep.

Jerking his gaze down to the screen, Bruce reads the name listed and the picture that accompanies the name.

"Yarsmith, Trevor," says Dick quietly, sensing that Alfred has left the dusting and stepped up behind the boy in the chair.

"My word, Master Bruce!" exclaims the butler. "That man works for you!"

"The fingerprinting would be require, for him to be employed as a security officer at Wayne Tech," says Dick quietly, glancing away from the 'computer to look up at his mentor, whose gaze is fixed on the screen.

"Yes, Dick," replies the cold voice from the man staring at the computer. "But you're wrong about one thing, Alfred."

"Sir?" asks the butler, glancing at his employer.

"That man doesn't work for me any more. I fired him two weeks ago for brutality," says Bruce, taking his gaze away from the 'computer to stare at his ward.

"What happened, Bruce?" asks the boy, staring up at his mentor.

"Ex-military. I hired him after he retired. I thought he would make an excellent Assistant Chief of Security at Wayne Tech. He had been on the job for less than a month when the complaints started to come in."

"Complaints, sir?" asks the butler, glancing between the 'computer screen and his employer.

"Being rough with the assistants and secretaries. Usually nothing that could be completely identified as doing something _wrong_," says the billionaire turned crime fighter, sneering on the last word. "Finally something was caught on camera.

"Pam from Human Relations used her security card to enter the building and she held the door for another secretary who had walked up behind her. Yarsmith let the second woman go, but called to Pam. As soon as the secretary walked around the corner, Yarsmith backed Pam against the wall. Since the cameras don't use audio, Pam let me know what followed from there.

"Pam said that Yarsmith was furious over her allowing the other woman to get through a secured door using Pam's pass card. Pam tried to explain that she's worked with the other woman for years now and was just trying to be friendly.

"Yarsmith began to push her around in the halls, not happy with her answers. He grabbed and slammed Pam twice into the wall behind her. Luckily, McDonald had been keeping an eye on Yarsmith due to the complaints. McDonald brought Yarsmith to me immediately and, since McDonald was Chief of Security, it was decided to let Yarsmith go that day. I wasn't going to employ a bully," finishes Wayne.

"He's pissed because he lost his job?" asks Dick, glancing over at the screen and the man's face on it.

"But, why hurt Master Dick?" asks Alfred, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"During the last meeting, Yarsmith said that the only way to control people was through fear. It's no secret that I care about my ward," says Bruce, placing a hand on Dick's other shoulder. "He wants to control me through my fear for you."

"He doesn't know you very well," says Dick. "No one controls you."

Nodding his head, Bruce gives the Dick's shoulder a quick squeeze before dropping his hand back to his side.

"It ends now," says Bruce, staring at the screen and the man shown upon it. "I know who you are, you son of a bitch. No more!"


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Night has fallen and Gotham's protector has taken to the city in search of the man behind his ward's attacks. Now that there is a focus, a name, for the case, Batman knows it won't be long till he knows where the man is and justice, whether the police kind or Batman kind, is found.

Crashing through the window of an apartment building, Batman shakes the glass shards from his cape. Storming around the room, he knocks things over in his search for information.

"A bull in a china shop won't help right now," comes a comment from behind him.

Ignoring the comment, Batman continues in his ruthless search of the apartment.

"Batman…we have time to look," says Robin, setting up in front of Batman. "No one is here."

"I want this done," replies the Dark Knight. "I want to find him now!"

"And you think I don't?" demands the boy, throwing his arms out. "I know better what this case is all about then you!"

Taking a moment, Batman tries to reign himself in. Taking a couple of slow breaths, Batman glances around the apartment. Though he has seen (and lived in) better places, the apartment wasn't trashy either. A single bedroom apartment, Batman can see the bedroom door from where he is standing. Glancing in the opposite direction, he notices the doors to the bathroom and kitchen.

"It's a nice apartment," says Robin, also glancing around the place.

"Wayne pays well," comes the reply.

"But the guy hasn't been employed for just over two weeks. Wouldn't the money have dried up by now?"

"Yarsmith could have afforded better than this. He was the Assistant Chief of Security," replies Batman. "Most likely trying to save money by living in a lower rent apartment."

"Well, let's see what we can find," says Robin, as he heads for the first doorway, leading to the bedroom. "He still is living in the military world. I bet I could bounce a quarter off of this bed, it's made that well."

Not saying anything, Batman just searches the living room that he is currently in, listening to Robin as the boy searches the bedroom.

Walking over to the desk, Batman glances at the computer on it. _Most likely the computer has a password._ Pausing, Batman finds that he no longer hears Robin moving around in the bedroom.

"Robin?"

Not getting a response, the Detective strides over to the bedroom door and looks in.

"Robin?" asks Batman, staring at his partner. "What is it?"

Showing the book in his hands to Batman, Robin walks over to the older man and hands him the book.

"It's a journal," replies the boy quietly. "It's dated around the time he retired from the military. It's current."

Opening the book to the last entry, Batman quietly reads over the last entry.

_**Thursday, April 28**__**th**__**…**_

_**I surprised Wayne's boy at school today.**_

_**It was so easy to get to the fucking brat.**_

_**The school and Wayne thought the boy**_

_**was so safe, but I had canvassed the**_

_**school earlier and knew where all the**_

_**cameras were. I knew how to get in. **_

_**Tried to pretend like nothing happen, but **_

_**he knew…he knew when he saw me. I **_

_**could see how scared Wayne's kid was.**_

Continuing to read the entry, Batman feels disgusted and dirty by reading what the man thought about his attack on Wayne's ward.

"He's wrote about the attack at the school," says the boy. "If he bragged about that, maybe he mentioned the first assault also."

Nodding, Batman flips through the journal some more. "We should turn this over to Gordan, but I want to take it back to the 'cave and get copies of it to work with."

Seeing motion, Batman glances up from the journal and watches as Robin rubs his arms with his gloved hands.

"If you want to leave, there's no shame in it," says the older man, closing the journal and tucking it into his belt.

"No, I need to finish this," replies Robin, walking over to the closet and opening the door.

Looking through the closet, Robin studies how the clothing is hanging. "Most of the empty hangers are off to the side, but there are four hangers that are mixed in with the clothing and one on the floor."

"He must have deserted this apartment. Yarsmith is smart. He knows it would only be a matter of time before someone made his prints," replies Batman.

Seeing the brave face that his partner was trying to keep, Batman knew that Robin was approaching a breaking point and wanted to get the boy out of the apartment.

"There's nothing here," says the Dark Knight, knowing that he would come back alone to finish his examination of the apartment later. "We'll take the journal and see what we can get out of it."

"Batman, you realize that a man as thorough as this one wouldn't have accidentally left the journal behind," says Robin, as he walks out of the bedroom. "He wanted it to be found."

"I know," replies the older man, as he also exits the bedroom and strides over to the broken window. "Let's go."


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Feeling ready to pull out his hair, Gordan puts over the Grayson file again. Sighing, pounds his fist over the closed file.

"Trevor Yarsmith."

Jerking in his chair, Gordan whips around and stares at Batman.

"Who?" asks the Police Commissioner.

"The man you're looking for. He used to work for Wayne in Security," answers the masked man.

"I'll let Wayne know and see what he remembers of the man. How'd you get the name?" demands Gordan, grabbing a pen to write the name down on a slip of paper.

"Robin did a search on all prints, not just criminal."

Rising a brow, Gordan glances up from the notes he's writing down about what Batman is saying. "You think it's a good idea having the boy be involved in the case. What happened to Grayson is nasty."

"He felt he needed to be involved," replies Batman slowly, before reaching into his belt and pulling out a book. Throwing the book on the desk, Batman continues, "That's Yarsmith's journal."

"Where…?" asks Gordan, picking up the journal and flipping through it.

"It was at his apartment, which he's abandoned," comes the reply. "In the journal, Yarsmith describes both attacks on Grayson."

"If that's true, then we have DNA, prints, and his confession," replies Gordan. "Now all we need is the man."

Not hearing a reply, Gordan glances up from the journal to find that he's alone in his office once again.


	23. Chapter 22

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Happy Thanksgiving!**_

Chapter 22

Jumping out of the Batmobile, Batman strides over to the Batcomputer to begin a search of where Yarsmith could be. But before he can reach the 'computer, Alfred steps in front of him and stops the Detective.

"Master Bruce, I didn't want to page you while you were with the Commissioner, but there was a phone call while you were out," says Alfred.

"I think it can wait," states Batman, stepping around the butler, only to be stopped again when Alfred again steps in front of him.

"No, it can't, sir," replies the older man. "I believe that the phone call was from _that man_."

"Yarsmith?" demands Batman

"Yes," nods the older man. "He claimed to be one of Master Dick's teachers with a homework assignment. When I put Master Dick on the phone, he became quite pale and slammed the phone down. He won't tell me what that dreadful man said."

Nodding his head, Batman quickly changes from the costume and puts back on his shirt, pants, and tie. Dressed as Wayne, Bruce climbs the stairs out of the 'cave and rushes to the boy's room.

"Dick?" calls Bruce, as he taps lightly on the door before opening it.

Not getting a response, the older man steps into the room and, with only the lights from the hallway, sees a lump on the bed. Stepping up to the bed, Bruce sits on the edge and gently places a hand on the lump.

"Son?"

"He called me," comes the muffled reply, before the boy slips out from under the covers.

Pushing back the covers, the boy sits up in bed. Glancing around his room, Dick rubs his face with his hands.

"I can't believe I hid under the covers like a scared child," says Dick, kicking the covers back. "I just freaked when I heard his voice."

"What did he say?" asks Bruce, as he hears Alfred stopping in front of the doorway to listen.

"He said he wasn't done," comes the reply. "Then he started to describe what he was going to do to me. I slammed the phone down. I didn't want to hear it."

"He won't get to you," assures Bruce, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, but Dick jerks away from the comfort.

"Are you sure?" demands the boy, staring down his mentor and friend. "Twice, Bruce, twice! I don't feel safe any more. What's to stop a third time? Or more?!"

"Batman will catch him. We know who he is now and Gordan has police out there searching for him even as we speak," replies Bruce.

Nodding his head, Dick says nothing.

"Dick, would you like me to contact Leslie?" asks Bruce, mentioning a family friend and doctor.

"The doctor at the hospital took care of the injuries," replies the boy, pretending not to know what Bruce means.

"She called and offered to talk with you," continues Bruce, ignoring the boy's attempt to pass off the question.

Nodding his head, Dick glances away. "Maybe later."

Hearing Alfred clearing his throat from the doorway, Bruce and Dick both glance toward the much older man. "Perhaps I will call the police and let them know about the phone call?"

"That would help," replies the millionaire, nodding his head. "Thank you, Alfred."

With one last glance at the boy on the bed, Alfred leaves the man and child alone.


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

In the seedier side of town, in a one room apartment, Trevor Yarsmith cuts out of the newest article from the newspaper concerning the Wayne case.

"'Police Commissioner Gordan assures that the police are close to catching the man behind the terrifying attacks on Wayne's ward, Richard Grayson,'" reads Yarsmith, sneering. "Oh, I know how close you are to catching me."

Glancing over to the monitor, Yarsmith watches as the police swarm through his former apartment. Having installed cameras into his previous residence, the man could see everything that the police were taking, though he couldn't hear a word that was being said.

"I also know that Batman and Robin are even on the case," continues the man, having watched the monitor late into the evening the night before and seen the Dynamic Duo enter his former apartment.

Taking the newest article, Yarsmith stands up and pins the newspaper clipping up on the wall in front of the desk he is working at. Staring at the wall and all the articles on it, Yarsmith focuses his hatred on the millionaire.

"Fire me?! I was hired to keep him safe and, when I tried to do my job, he claims I'm too rough?" shouts the man at the articles. "You pissed off the wrong fucking man this time, Wayne."

Calming himself down, Yarsmith sits back down in his chair. But instead of watching the police work on the monitor, the man picks up a picture that he took only a week after losing his job. The picture is of a black haired, blue eyed boy playing in one of the city's nicer parks; it's a picture of Dick Grayson. Stroking the picture, Yarsmith leans back in his chair and smiles.

"I'm not done yet, Wayne," continues Yarsmith, almost lovingly, as he still strokes the picture in his hands. "The phone call to your boy this evening…oh, I could hear his breathing change when he heard my voice. Or the way he whispered no when I told him that he would eventually like what I did to him. One of these times, Wayne, I won't leave your boy behind when I go and you'll never see him again."


	25. Chapter 24

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry it's been so long. Moved to a new place, then I had Christmas, and then got really sick. Hope the chapter was worth the wait!**_

Chapter 24

"_You'll like it" whispers the voice in the darkness._

_Spinning around, Dick can only see the inky blackness that surrounds him. _

"_No!" shouts the boy, running away from where he heard the voice._

"_I'm not done yet, Boy."_

"_NO!" cries out Dick louder, running faster._

"_Wayne can't keep you safe. The police can't keep you safe. Even Batman can't keep you from me," comes the voice again, now sounding like the voice is in front of him._

_Stopping, Dick glances around, trying to find where the voice is coming from._

"_Did you see the video from the school? Did you see how I put my mouth on your…"_

"_Stop it!!" shouts the boy, trying to drown out the voice._

"_Stop? But I've only started," whispers the voice, before the boy is grabbed from behind…_

"Dick? Dick?!"

Jerking awake with a scream on his lips, Dick takes a swing at the figure near the bed. His punch is deflected. Getting ready to strike out again, Dick is momentarily blinded when the overhead light is turned on. When his eye sight clears, the boy sees Bruce standing by the bed, with Alfred near the light switch. Glancing between the two men, the boy works at slowing his breathing.

"Are you ok, Dick?" asks Bruce calmly, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "You were dreaming."

"I…I…" starts the boy, but finds that he can't say any more.

"You're safe, Master Dick," says Alfred, as he steps up near the bed.

"I could hear his voice," whispers Dick, as he rocks himself on the bed. "He said he wasn't done."

"It was just a dream," responds Bruce firmly.

Shaking his head, Dick stops rocking and looks at his mentor.

"On the phone…"starts the boy, but finds he can't finish.

"We'll beat him, Dick," states Bruce, placing a hand gently on the boy's shoulder and giving it a quick squeeze. "We'll catch him and he'll never bother you again."

Nodding his head, Dick finds that he is no longer tired. "Bruce, would it be ok if I got up and watched movies? I don't think I can go back to sleep right now."

"Go ahead, son," replies the millionaire, getting up from the bed.

Watching the boy get out of the bed, both men wait until the boy is out of the room and down the hall before saying a word.

"He was screaming, Master Bruce," says Alfred quietly, brushing a tear from his eye. "I don't think just catching this man will help the boy."

"It will take time," responds Wayne. "But, first we need to catch the son of a bitch."

Sadly, Alfred nods his head and turns to leave. Seeing the curtain flutter, Alfred walks over to the window to feel a breeze flow over his feet.

"Master Bruce?" calls the butler, as the millionaire starts to leave the room. "The window is open."

"What?" demands the rich man, striding over to the window and jerking aside the curtain.

"My word," whispers Alfred.

Staring at the window, both men can't help but read the note that has been taped to the inside of the window.

**I'm not done yet!**

"Master Bruce, he was here!" says the faithful butler, not able to take his eyes off the note. "Master Dick said he could hear the man's voice. Perhaps it wasn't a dream!"

"We don't know when this note was stuck on the window," replies Bruce, firmly.

"But…" starts Alfred, only to cut himself off as he watches his employer shake his head.

"I will not scare Dick," says the millionaire vehemently. "Unless we know for sure when this note got here, I will not jump to conclusions. Let Dick continue to think it was a dream. I'll contact Gordan and have him come quietly for the note."

"But Master Dick will question why the police are here," replies Alfred, finally taking his eyes off the note.

"I'll tell Gordan that Dick had a nightmare and I don't want to scare the boy more than he already is. Gordan can pretend that he decided to stop by to see how we were doing," states Wayne, turning away from the window and striding out of the room.

Taking one last glance at the note, Alfred closes the curtain, covering the note, and leaves the room himself.


	26. Chapter 25

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry it's been sooooo long! Been busy with work and moving. Hope it's worth the wait!**_

Chapter 25

"Thank you for coming so quickly, Jim," says Bruce Wayne, as he ushers the police commissioner into his office.

Having placed a phone call to Gordan shortly after leaving Dick's room, Wayne had waited impatiently for the older man to arrive.

"I understand you want to keep this quiet from Richard, but how am I am going to look at this note…it is still stuck to the window, right?" asks Gordan, interrupting himself. With a nod from Wayne, Gordan continues, "I'll need to get into the room, but won't your ward be in there sleeping?"

"After the…nightmare, Dick decided he'd rather get up. He hasn't been in his room for over an hour. Right before you arrived, I saw that he fell asleep on the couch in front of the television," replies Wayne.

"Alright," replies the police commissioner. "It's time I see this note."

Leading the older man out of the office, Wayne takes Gordan up the stairs and into Dick's room. Pointing toward the window, Wayne closes the door behind the police commissioner.

"My butler and I were drawn to the room because Dick was yelling. We thought it was a nightmare and I calmed my ward down as much as I could. That's when he asked me to watch TV. After Dick left the room, my butler noticed the curtains moving and, when he walked over to the window, saw that it was open," explained Wayne.

"Were the curtains closed or open?" asks Gordan, taking out of a camera for pictures.

"Closed."

Nodding his head, the police commissioner takes a few pictures before moving toward the window. Pulling aside the curtain, Gordan takes more pictures of the open window, with a note taped to the inside.

"Was the window open or closed when Grayson went to bed?"

"Alfred, my butler, assured me that they were all closed," comes to response.

Nodding his head, Gordan takes a few more pictures of the note taped to the window, before reaching over and gently pulling the note off the window with a gloved hand. Taking out an evidence bag, Gordan slides the note and his glove inside before making some notations on the bag.

"Did you move the note at all?" asks the commissioner, before sliding the evidence bag into an inside pocket on his jacket.

"No."

Glancing over at the boy's bed, Gordan can see that all the blankets have been thrown to the floor.

"What was the nightmare about?"

"Dick said he could hear the man's voice, that the man wasn't done yet," replies the millionaire. "I didn't want to ask any questions. I thought it was a dream."

Nodding his head, Gordan takes one last glance around the room. "How long before Richard went to bed did your butler check the windows?"

"Maybe 20 to 30 minutes," replies Wayne.

"Yarsmith could have been watching, waiting for the butler to check the windows, then climbed to the window, left the note, and was gone before your ward ever came into the room," says Gordan. "The note may have been planted for your ward to find."

"Be honest, Jim," asks Bruce, staring at the man before him. "Do you think that's what happened?"

"I don't know, Bruce," replies the older man with a shake of his head. "Personally, I'd rather it had been that than thinking of Yarsmith watching your ward sleeping."

Nodding his head, the millionaire opens the door and both men leave the bedroom.


	27. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Feeling the warmth of the sun on his face, Dick wakes up slowly. Disorientated at first, the boy realizes that he fell asleep on the couch while watching a movie last night after the nightmare.

_It felt so real_, thinks the boy,_ I thought he was there with me_. Shaking off the feeling, Dick gets off the couch and heads for his room to get a change of clothing.

Entering his room, Dick notices that only one of the curtains is drawn back.

_That's odd_, thinks the boy, walking over to the window and seeing that the curtain is not only open, but so is the window.

Examining the window, Dick notices a residue left on the inside of the glass. Rubbing his hand against it, Dick feels the stickiness of the film.

"Good morning, Master Dick."

Turning, the boy smiles wanly at the older man. "Hi Alfie." Turning his attention to the sticky mark on his window, Dick points it out to the older man.

"Do you know what this is?"

Walking over, the butler sees the sticky film left by the tape on the window.

"Why, no, Master Dick," lies the older man. "I don't know what that is, but don't worry, I'll have it cleaned up in no time."

"It looks like tape, or what tape would leave on glass," says Dick.

"I'm sure it's nothing," replies the butler, as he walks over to the bed to straighten it out.

Glancing at the older man, Dick takes one last look at the smudge before going over to his closet to pick out some clothing.

"I'd like to go to the park today," says the boy, selecting a pair of pants and a shirt. "Maybe do a little roller blading."

"Of course," replies the butler, as he finishes straightening the boy's bed. "You haven't been to the park in a couple of weeks."

"Yeah, since before…" but the boy stops talking, finding that he can't finish the sentence.

Stopping what he is doing, the older man walks over to the boy and places a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"It will get easier," says the older man gently. "It will take time, but it will get easier."

Nodding his head, Dick steps away from the older man and heads for the bathroom to shower and get dressed.

Taking one last glance at the mark on the window from the tape, Alfred makes a mental note to return quickly to wash the window clean.


	28. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Quietly resting in the back of the limo, Dick waits for Alfred to drive him to the skating rink at the park. With his roller blades sitting next to him, the boy watches as the city flows by the car.

"We're almost there," calls Alfred, from the front of the car.

"Thanks, Alfie," responds the boy, glancing toward the butler.

"Oh, it was no problem at all, Master Dick," replies the older man, glancing in the rear view mirror to look at the boy sitting in the back. "Perhaps a little bit of exercise is what you need."

"Maybe," comes the response.

A few minutes later, the limo pulls up to the curb. Grabbing his skates, Dick waves to Alfred before opening the back door.

"Back in an hour?" calls the boy.

"I'll be here," replies Alfred, watching as the boy rushes off toward the rink.

……………………….

Waving at some of the kids that he knows from school, Dick sits down on one of the benches near the rink. Untying his shoes quickly, the boy slips off his sneakers and puts the roller blades on his feet. Lacing them up firmly, Dick gets himself onto his feet and rolls toward the rink.

Pushing off, the boy rolls across the flat part of the rink, heading for the curves and hills which are located further in. Feeling the air rush by his face, Dick tries to enjoy the moment of peace, knowing that he will soon have to return home.

"Hey! Dick!"

Turning his head at his name, Dick watches as a petite, blond girl blades toward him.

"Hey Ashley," calls the boy back, recognizing the girl from his English class.

Coming to a stop in front of the boy, the girl smiles shyly at the dark haired boy in front of her.

"I thought that was you," she says, clasping her hands in front of her body.

"Yeah," replies the boy, smiling back at the girl. "I try to get here every Sunday and any other chance I get."

"Me too," replies Ashley. "Well, the any chance I get part. Umm...want to skate together?"

Taking one last glance back at the curves and hills further on, Dick reaches out a hand and takes Ashley's hand. "Sure."

……………………..

Under a few pine trees, located near the skating rink, Yarsmith watches Wayne's ward skate with the blond girl who had just joined him. Keeping his eyes focused on the couple, Yarsmith waits for the children to skate out of sight. Taking a quick look around, Yarsmith steps away from the trees and walks toward the sneakers that Grayson left near the bench.

Sliding a hand into his pocket, Yarsmith pulls out a piece of paper and writes a note. Taking one more look around, the man slides the note into the right shoe of the boy's sneakers. Stepping away from the sneakers, Yarsmith takes one final look around before disappearing into the crowd.

………………………..

The hour passes quickly and, all too soon, Dick is waving goodbye to Ashley as he skates toward the edge of the rink. Stepping off the rink, Dick finds the bench where he left his shoes and sits down. Untying his roller blades, Dick finds himself smiling and humming under his breath.

_Maybe Ashley and I could spend some more time together_, thinks Dick, as he slips off both skates.

Grabbing the left shoe, the boy promptly slips the shoe on and ties it before grabbing the right. Slipping his foot into the right, Dick stops when he feels that something is in the shoe. Taking the shoe off his foot, Dick turns the shoe upside down and shakes it. The boy watches as a piece of paper flutters to the ground. Setting the shoe on the ground, Dick bends over and picks up the slip of paper. Unfolding it, he stares at the written words on the note.

**Did you have fun skating? **

**I watched you with the little blond. **

**Perhaps she can join us next time.**

Feeling the blood rush from his face, Dick recognizes the handwriting from the journal he had seen as Robin. Quickly, he glances up and looks around the park. Seeing no one in particular looking at him, Dick crumbles the note in his hand. Shoving it into his jean pocket, the boy reaches for his shoe when he hears a car horn from the street. Looking over his shoulder, the boy sees that Alfred and the limo are already waiting for him. Tying his shoe, Dick grabs his roller blades and rushes toward the limo. Opening the door, Dick throws the skates inside before jumping in the limo and slamming the door closed.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" asks Alfred, glancing over the seat to look at the boy. _Something is wrong. He's so pale._

"Great," mumbles the boy, not looking at the older man.

"Master Dick?"

"Just take me home, Alfred," responds the boy, staring out the side window.

"Of course," murmurs the butler/driver, before putting the limo into gear and driving back to the mansion. _I must let Master Bruce know._


	29. Chapter 28

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know it's been a long time since I've done anything with the story. I haven't dropped it; my life has just been really busy. Here's another chapter. Sorry it's so short. **_

Chapter 28

Sitting in his room, Dick takes out the note that had been left in his shoe. Holding it tight in his hands, the boy stares out the window.

_I should tell Bruce about the note_, thinks Dick, glancing down once more at the note. _But what good will it do?_

Hearing a knock on his door, the boy slides the note back into his pocket.

"Come in."

Watching the door open slowly, the boy already knows who's on the other side. Seeing the dark hair millionaire step into the room, Dick can't help but compare the man to his father, who died not all that long ago.

_My world at the circus was safe, until the night Mom and Pa died. I got safety again when I came here. Now what do I have to do to get it back? _"What's up, Bruce?" asks the boy aloud.

"Alfred said you seemed upset when he picked you up at the rink," mentions the older man, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to Dick. "Did anything happen?"

"No," replies Dick. "Ashley Graham was at the rink. She's in my English class in school. We spent the time together…"

"And you were able to forget with her?" asks Bruce.

"Yeah," nods Dick, glancing over at the older man. _I'm not telling him about the note._

"And coming back reminded you of it?" asks the millionaire, with a raised brow.

Nodding his head, Dick doesn't say anything.

_The boy is lying_, thinks Wayne, staring down at his ward. _Why?_

A moment passes and neither man nor child speaks. Finally, Bruce gets to his feet and walks toward the door.

"If you want to talk with me, you can," says the older man, before turning around the look at the boy again. "Don't feel like you have to hold something back."

_He knows I'm lying_, thinks Dick, nodding his head in response to Bruce's comment.

Not knowing what else to say to get the boy to tell him the truth, Bruce walks out of the bedroom.


	30. Chapter 29

_**AUHOR'S NOTE: Sorry it took so long to add another chapter to this story. I have been very busy in changing jobs and didn't have much time. I hope it was worth the wait.**_

Chapter 29

Later that night, Dick tosses and turns in his bed. He had decided to again try to sleep in his own bed, wanting to reclaim the room that is his. Turning, he looks over at his clock.

_Just passed 2. I don't feel tired, but I know I should sleep_, thinks the boy, shifting again his bed. Thinking he hears something, Dick stops moving in his bed. _What was that?_

Slipping out of bed, the boy walks over to the window that earlier had been covered in the sticky residue. Pushing the curtains aside, he stares at the closed window. Breathing a sigh of relief, Dick begins to relax until his eyes focus on the shadows on the lawn, specifically the shadow of a man below his window.

"No," whispers the boy, as he stands frozen by the window.

Stepping into the light, the shadow becomes Yarsmith. Waving up at the boy in the window, the man drops something white on the lawn and walks away. Watching, the boy doesn't leave the window until he feels that Yarsmith must be gone. Quietly, Dick moves away from the window and opens the door leading to the hallway. Sticking his head out, he looks up and down the hall before leaving his room.

Quietly, the boy pads down the hall and toward the stairs. Walking down the stairs, he keeps his eyes and ears open in case Alfred or Bruce are moving around. Finding no one, Dick moves toward the side door that would lead him to the lawn where Yarsmith had dropped the white item.

Pausing next to the door, Dick checks the security system before touching the door handle. _Good thing I know the code for the security system, otherwise I'd have to find a different way to get outside to see what is on the lawn._ Quickly entering the code, Dick waits for the system to go green and then gently opens the door.

"And where do you think you are going, young man?"

Turning, the boy looks up into the face of Alfred.

"Umm, wanted some fresh air," suggests Dick, keeping his hand on the door knob.

"So open a window," replies the older man. "Why are you trying to sneak out of the house?"

"I need to face him," mumbles the boy.

"Face whom?" asks Alfred, though he has a sinking feeling and knows whom the boy means.

"Yarsmith," replies the boy. "He was out there."

"What?" replies the older man, shocked. "And you just intended to go outside on your own?"

"I think he left. He...dropped something white on the lawn. I want to see what it is."

"Or maybe he's trying to trick you outside," suggests Alfred.

"You know he doesn't have to trick me to go outside to get a hold of me," replies the boy under his breath.

"Master Dick," replies Alfred, at a loose for words.

Turning back to the door, the boy jerks open the door. Before stepping outside, he looks around. Seeing no one, he glances back at the older man.

"I'll be quick," says Dick before running outside.

Running as fast as his legs will carry him, Dick moves to where he saw Yarsmith drop the item. Finding it quickly, he bends down and picks it up. Seeing that the item is just a piece of paper, Dick opens it, but, while he can see that there is writing, he finds that it is too dark to make out the words. Glancing up, Dick freezes as he notices the shadow in the shape of a man standing at the edge of the building, between him and the open door.

"If I wanted to grab you here, I could. That old man in there couldn't stop me," says Yarsmith as he slowly moves toward the boy.

Saying nothing, the boy gets ready to run past the man.

"But I figure what I wrote in the note will get you to come to me," continues Yarsmith. "The proof of the note is in your bedroom.. I went up there, while you were coming down here."

Turning away, the older man walks away from the house and the boy. Watching the man leave, the boy quickly rushes to the open door and Alfred who was leaning out.

"What took so long?" asks Alfred, scanning the darkness behind the boy.

"I had a hard time finding the object. It was easier to see from my window," replies the boy, not wanting to let the older man know that Yarsmith had been out there.

"Well, what was it?" asks Alfred, glancing down at the paper in the boy's hand.

"It's nothing. Just some scrap blown onto the lawn," replies the boy, moving past the older man.

"Master Dick," says Alfred, turning and watching the boy move past him.

"What, Alfi?" asks the boy, glancing over his shoulder at the man.

"We'll get through this," says the older man, finding himself not able to call the boy a liar.

"I know," replies the boy, before taking off toward his bedroom. Behind him, he can hear as Alfred activates the security system again.


	31. Chapter 30

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Again, sorry it's been so long between chapters. I was trying to figure out how I wanted to take the story. I think I know what I want to do. Anyway....here's the next chapter.**_

Chapter 30

Entering his room, Dick opens the piece of paper and sees only five words:

**I have her. Skating rink.**

For a second, he wonders who Yarsmith could have, then he sees something yellow on his pillow. Slowly walking over to his bed, Dick stares down at a lock of blond hair.

"Ashley," he whispers. _Yarsmith took Ashley to the skating rink. I can't let him hurt her. I have to go._

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Dick drops the note and quickly grabs a dark shirt and dark pants. Changing out of his pajamas and into his clean clothes, the boy walks over to his window and slides it open quietly. Slipping a leg through the opening, Dick slides out of the window and jumps to the ground below. Glancing once back at his home, Dick takes off to get to the skating rink that he had been at hours earlier with Ashley.

* * *

Nervous about how Dick has been acting, Alfred walks upstairs and quietly down the hall. Opening the door slowly, Alfred quickly notices the breeze flow gently out of the room. Pushing the door open further, Alfred glances over to the window and sees that it's completely open and that Dick is not in the room.

"Oh my," says the older man, walking into the room.

Striding over to the bed, he notices the note on the bed next to a lock of hair. Opening the note, Alfred quickly reads the paper.

"I must get Master Bruce," says Alfred, grabbing the lock of hair and leaving the room.

* * *

He can feel that his body is tight with frustration and anger. Staring at the Batcomputer, Batman looks over the information on the screen.

_He's out there and I will find him! I will not let Dick down._

"Master Bruce!"

Turning away from the 'computer, Batman stares at his frantic servant.

"Master Dick is gone!" says Alfred, as he stops in front of Batman and hands him the note and lock of hair.

Scanning the note and taking the hair, Batman stands up.

"What skating rink?" demands the Dark Knight.

"I took Master Dick to the skating rink yesterday. He spent some time with a friend from school..." explains Alfred, while following Batman to the Batmobile.

"Ashley Graham," says Batman, nodding his head. Looking at the lock of hair in his hand, Batman glances at Alfred. "Is she blond?"

"Yes, sir," responds the servant.

Nodding his head, Batman climbs in the Batmobile and heads out.

* * *

After leaving Wayne property, Dick was able to find someone who was willing to give him a ride into the city. Within minutes of leaving his home, Dick found himself staring at the city's skyline.

"Are you sure, kid?" asks the driver.

"Yes, sir," replies the boy, glancing over at the man who had been willing to stop and pick up a child so early in the morning.

Only a few minutes later, the driver pulls over to the side of the road.

"I can't take you all the way, kid, since I still need to get to work. The rink is only a block away," says the driver.

Nodding his head, Dick opens the door. "Thank again!" he calls, then gets out of the car and shuts the door.

Watching the car drive away, Dick sighs. _Almost there. I can't him let hurt Ashley. No matter what._


	32. Chapter 31

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: John – I decided to go with Dick, not Robin, for two reasons: (1) Dick was the one attacked and needs to face his demons and (2) Yarsmith is expecting Grayson; it might give away a secret identity if Robin showed up. But thanks for your comments!**_

Chapter 31

Standing in the shadows by the trees, Yarsmith keeps an eye out for the arrival of Dick Grayson. Glancing around the park, he soon finds a small shadow moving toward the skating rink. Allowing the boy to pass him, Yarsmith steps out of the shadows and follows the boy into the semi-darkness of the rink.

* * *

_This has to be a trap_, thinks Dick, as he slowly steps onto the skating rink and looks around.

Carefully, the boy walks around the rink, checking the jumps, looking for his school friend. Not finding her, Dick wonders if he misinterpreted the note. Looking left, then right, Dick is completely caught off guard when he is slammed from behind. Falling, the boy skids across the ground for a couple of feet before coming to a stop. Raising his face, Dick can feel the burn of multiple cuts on his face and blood on the ground from where his face hit.

"She must mean a lot for you to show," says Yarsmith, as he watches the boy roll over and slowly get to his feet.

"Where is she?" demands the boy, keeping his eyes on the man before him.

"Pretending to be brave?" questions the older man, sneering. "Remember, I've seen you cry."

Clenching his fist, Dick tries to control his emotions.

"Scared?" taunts Yarsmith, as he steps to the left to circle the boy. "You should be."

Turning, so Dick can keep his eyes on the older man, the boy refuses to respond to the provocations.

"Where is she?" demands Dick again.

"Before I am going to tell you that, I'm going to make you do a few things," responds Yarsmith.

"I'm not doing anything until I know that Ashley is safe," replies the boy, glaring at the man before him.

The man stops moving and laughs. Suddenly lunging forward, Yarsmith grabs Dick by the front of the shirt and lifts him off the ground. Pulling the boy forward, the older man stares at Dick eye to eye.

"I've already proven that I can make you," whispers Yarsmith.

Breathing irregular and eyes wide, Dick raises his foot and, with as much force as his position would allow, kicks Yarsmith into the knee. Dropping the boy, Yarsmith stumbles to the right.

"You stupid fucker," growls the older man, as he glares down at the boy, while rubbing his knee. "Just for that, when I am done with you, I'm going to your little friend's house and, when I am done, she's going to wish she were dead."

"What?" demands the boy, getting to his feet. "Ashley's not here?"

"No," replies Yarsmith, forgetting about the knee strike and moves toward the boy again. "Oh, it's her hair. I cut it from her head while she slept."

Watching the older man move toward him, Dick is ready for the next grab and uses a hand strike to knock the grab to the side. Moving into hand to hand combat, Dick blocks out what this man has done to him and focuses on defending his body. But no matter how good the boy is, Yarsmith is military trained and better. Using one of the boy own moves against him, Yarsmith spins the boy around. Wrapping an arm around Dick's throat, the older man jerks the boy back against his body, the boy's feet dangling almost two feet above the ground. Raising his hand, Dick grabs at the arm around his throat. Digging his nails into the skin, the boy tries to move the arm.

"Does it make you feel better because you fought back?" whisper Yarsmith into the boy's ear. "The ending is going to be the same."


	33. Chapter 32

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: That's right! It's a new chapter. I am back to working on this story. I hope it was worth the wait!**_

Chapter 32

"So the question is, how should I kill you? And what should I do with your body" asks Yarsmith, as he tightens his arm around the boy throat.

Realizing that he's never going to have the strength to pull the older man's arm from his throat, Dick decides to go for a pressure point in the hand. Lifting his left hand, the boy finds the pressure point between the thumb and forefinger and presses down hard.

"Fuck!" yells the man, as pain shoots up his arm.

Slowly the boy peels the arm away from his throat and he drops to the ground. Releasing his hold on Yarsmith's hand as he falls, Dick rolls away from the older man and gets to his feet facing his enemy.

"Boy, you are really pissing me off," says the older man as he begins to stalk the boy, moving closer.

_I just don't have the strength to fight him_, thinks Dick, as he watches Yarsmith. _I've got moves, but if I get too close, he can can use his strengths against me. I doubt he'll fall for the pressure point trick again._

"Do you know what I am going to do to you?" asks Yarsmith, moving left then right, getting closer to the boy.

"You're not going to touch me again," replies Dick determinately, shadowing the man's moves, not allowing Yarsmith to get close.

"I was thinking about killing you here and leaving your body for the police to find. Maybe I would slit your throat. I think Wayne would be comforted knowing your death was quick" says Yarsmith, smiling.

"If you had come here, begged for your friend's life, and not fought then the easy death could have been yours. Instead I will take you alive. I will leave a piece of your body, a hand, for the police to find. Wayne will know you are alive, in pain, and there won't be anything he can do. And he will suffer."

Slipping a hand behind his back, Yarsmith pulls out a large hunting knife. Eyes focusing on the blade, Dick knows that there won't be a second chance of getting away if the older man grabs him.

"This knife will cut through your bone," says Yarsmith as a flips the blade between his left and right hand. "So, which hand do you want to leave here? Your left or your right?"

Lunging for the boy, Yarsmith misses the boy just barely as Dick dodges to the right. Reaching out quickly with his bladed hand, Yarsmith cuts the boy deeply across his left calf. Getting to his feet, Dick attempts to limp away from the older man, but only makes it a few steps when he is tackled from behind. Falling down on his stomach, Dick rolls quickly to his back, before the older man can put all his weight on the boy and hold him down.

Sitting on the boy's stomach, Yarsmith grabs Dick's left hand and, using his knees, pins the boy's arm to the ground next to his waist. Switching the blade into his left hand, Yarsmith takes his right hand to grabs Dick's hand, pinning it to the ground.

"Now about that hand," says the older man, as he raises the blade.


	34. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Eyes widen, focused on the blade that is coming down on his right wrist, Dick knows that no matter how he struggles, he has neither the strength nor the leverage to get the older man off of him. But even with that knowledge, it doesn't stop the boy from struggling.

"No!" cries out the boy, attempting to throw the older man off.

"This is going to hurt," whispers Yarsmith, grinning.

Just as the blade touches the boy's skin, the pressure of the older man sitting on top of him is no longer there. Turning his head, Dick sees that a dark shape has knocked the man off of him.

"Batman?" whispers the boy, as he gets to his feet.

Rolling to his feet, Yarsmith turns to face Gotham's Dark Knight. Seeing that the blade is still in his hand, Yarsmith adjusts his grip and waits for Batman to strike. And it doesn't take long. Moving in swiftly, Batman knocks the man to the ground and kicks the knife from the fallen man's hand.

Yarsmith, forgetting about the blade, quickly does a leg sweep to knock the hero to the ground. Getting to his feet, Yarsmith backs away from Batman. While his eyes stay focused on Batman, Yarsmith is also aware of the boy in his peripheral.

Getting to his feet, Batman turns to face this man who have been tormenting his ward for so long.

"While I do not think I rank with the Joker, I didn't realize that all it took was fucking a billionaire's ward to get your attention," says Yarsmith. "Or maybe you're mad. Does he remind you of your partner? Maybe you're pissed that I was in his ass before you?"

Growling, Batman goes after the man again. Attempting to make it look like he isn't trying to get closer to the boy, Yarsmith dodges to the left. Spinning around, the man moves behind the boy and grabs Dick by the arm and hauls the boy in front of him as a shield.

"I will kill this boy. If it means I have to snap his neck, instead of taking my time, then I will, hero," promises Yarsmith, as moves one hand to the boy chin and places his other hand on the top of the boy's head.

Getting ready to struggle out of Yarsmith's hands, Dick catches the eyes of Batman and calms his body. Keeping his eyes locked on his mentor, Dick waits to see what the Dark Knight will do.

"Let the boy go," growls Batman.

"I do not doubt that I could take you down, but I am not certain of this," replies Yarsmith, shifting one hand to move from Dick's chin to placing his forearm against the boy's neck. "Right now, this boy is my only insurance."

"If you kill that boy, nothing will save you," replies Batman, as he slowly moves a hand behind his back.

"Living, this boy will allow me to get out of here," replies Yarsmith, taking his other hand to grab the boy's arm. "Nothing says I can't kill him later."

"I will hunt you down," returns the Dark Knight, as he grabs a bat-a-rang from his belt and slowly pulls it forward, holding it just out of sight.

"Nothing says I will stay in Gotham when I am done."

"I'll make sure that you do," replies Batman, just before flicking his wrist and throwing the bat-a-rang at Yarsmith's head.

Caught off guard, Yarsmith is struck at the temple by the bat-a-rang. Releasing the boy, Yarsmith falls to the ground unconscious. Knocked off balance by the larger man's fall, Dick slips to his knees. Shifting his weight to stand up, the boy notices a gloved hand. Placing a hand in that dark hand, the boy is helped to his feet by the Dark Knight.

"I'll call Gordan," says Batman, then nods his head to a nearby bench. "I think it would be best if you are here and the police bring you home."

"Batman..."

"We'll discuss it later," replies Batman, turning away from the boy.

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Stay tuned for the Epilogue. There is still a twist to read before the story is done!**_


	35. Epilogue

Epilogue

It's early dawn. Two hours earlier, the police had arrived at the skate park and taken Yarsmith into custody. Commissioner Gordan had also arrived and made it his personal responsibility to take the boy home. Shortly after the arrival of Gordan, Batman had left the scene.

Watching the sun rise from his bedroom window, Dick waits for Bruce to arrive. _Is it over? The police have him, but is it over?_

Hearing the door knob turn, Dick turns to face Bruce as he enters the room.

"I spoke with Gordan," says the rich man. "Yarsmith has been processed and shipped off to prison to be held until trial. Because of what he did, I doubt bail will be set."

"A part of me still doesn't feel safe," replies the boy, turning his back to the older man and looking out the window at the rising sun. "I don't know if I will ever feel safe. We know all too well, criminals break out of jail. Hell, Bruce, he could be paroled for good behavior in a few years."

Glancing back at Bruce, Dick starts rubbing his arms.

"He wants me dead, Bruce," whispers Dick. "And I don't think he will give up."

"I will make sure he never sees freedom again," growls Bruce.

…...

2 MONTHS LATER

Parking the car in the long driveway that curves in front of the mansion, Commissioner Gordan puts the vehicle in park, takes the key out of the ignition, and opens the car door. Walking over to the front door, he knocks once and waits. It doesn't take long before the door is open by Wayne's butler.

"Commissioner Gordan," says the butler.

"Good morning," replies Gordan. "Is Bruce home?"

"Of course, sir," replies the other man, opening the door further to allow Gordan to enter the Wayne home. "Mister Wayne's study is down the hall on the left."

Nodding his head, Gordan walks down the hall and enters the study. He doesn't have long to exam the room before the owner of the home enters the room.

"Jim," greets Bruce, raising a hand to shake.

Taking Wayne's hand, Gordan gives a quick shake.

"How can I help you?" asks Wayne, motioning toward some chairs near a fire place.

"I'm here about Yarsmith's trial," answers Gordan.

"Dick is ready, though I would prefer it if he didn't have to speak about what happened," says Bruce, shaking his head gently. "I don't know which would be better, talking about it or ignoring it."

"Well, it looks like your ward won't have to talk about it. There won't be a trial."

"What?" demands the billionaire.

"I just came from the prison, Bruce. Yarsmith is dead," answers Gordan.

"How?" demands Bruce.

"Child molesters are never popular in prison and it appears that some of Yarsmith's fellow criminals took out their feelings on him. I'm not sure how they did it, but it appears one of them was able to make a knife from some of the plastic silverware and stabbed Yarsmith very late last night.

"Normally, the stabbing wouldn't be fatal, but the prison's doctor had already gone home an hour earlier and the overnight staff didn't have enough medical knowledge to know what to do. By the time they got Yarsmith to a doctor who knew what to do, Yarsmith had lost a lot of blood and died on the operating table," explains the police commissioner.

"I see," replies Wayne.

"I felt that you should know as quickly as possible before you heard it on the news," says Gordan. "How do you plan to tell Dick?"

"Please leave it to me," replies Bruce.

Nodding his head, Gordan stands up. Standing up as well, Bruce walks with Gordan out of the study, down the hall, and to the door.

"Thank you for stopping by, Jim," says Bruce.

"While it wasn't a pleasant way to go, I would rather that bastard had gone to prison," replies Gordan.

Nodding his head, Bruce opens the door and Gordan walks outside. Watching the police commissioner get into his car, Bruce waits until Gordan drives away from closing the door.

"Convenient. Wouldn't you say so, Master Bruce?"

Turning to face Alfred, Bruce raises a brow.

"While I would not say this in front of Master Dick, it wasn't beyond reality that Yarsmith could get out of prison," says Alfred. "With him dead, he can never hurt the boy again."

"Are you suggesting something?" asks Bruce calmly.

"I would never think to presume," replies the faithful butler.

"You know very well, Batman does not condone murder," says Bruce, before walking away.

"I never said Batman, sir," replies Alfred quietly.

THE END

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE**_: _**Yup, that's right, the story is FINALLY done. I hope you enjoyed it and that it was worth the wait. Please let me know what you think.**_


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